There have been numerous reports in media in recent years about automobile and train accidents while the driver was text-messaging or performing other distracting activities on his/her handset, which may include a portable telephone, a cellular telephone, a smart phone, a personal data assistant (PDA), wireless computer such as iPhone, iPads, ANDROIDS, BLACKBERRYS, etc. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association bulletin available online at the following Internet address: ghsa.org, 37 states, the District of Columbia and Guam now ban text messaging for all drivers. In 34 of these states, as well as the District of Columbia and Guam, primary enforcement is used while the others employ secondary enforcement. An additional 6 states prohibit text messaging by novice drivers. Many states include a category for cell phone/electronic equipment distraction on police accident report forms. Recently, proposed federal legislation would require states to collect this data in order to qualify for certain federal funding.
Although statistics may vary greatly, according to researchers from the University of North Texas health Science Center in Ft. Worth, texting behind the wheel accounted for 16,141 deaths between 2002 and 2007. Further, the percentage of all traffic deaths caused by distracted driving rose from 11% in 1999 to 16% in 2008. This is more emphasized by the statistic that only one-third of Americans had a cell phone in 1999 and by 2008, 91% of Americans owned a cell phone.
Clearly there is a need in the art for reducing or preventing car and other motor vehicle accidents caused by drivers' distraction due to reading or sending SMS text messages on their mobile device. And although the danger arises from the driver's activity, the other passengers as well as innocent by standers or drivers would also benefit from a solution that would help prevent such accidents. Thus, there is a need in the art for a solution to amplify the safety of occupants of a motor vehicle and by standers by mitigating the possibility of driver distraction due to receiving and/or sending/replying to text messages on his or her mobile phone while operating a motor vehicle.
Although the trend has clearly shown that law enforcement is doing its fair share to mitigate these risks, similar to the law enforcement requirements for wearing seat belts, vehicle operators will always tend to ignore the law. As such, there is a need in the art that can proactively operate to eliminate or reduce the ability to receive and/or text while operating a vehicle.